Law Firms

By Debra Cassens Weiss

Oct 4, 2013, 03:00 pm CDT

Another group of partners is reportedly leaving one of the Texas offices of Weil, Gotshal & Manges, according to media reports.

Four Houston partners—including Houston managing partner John Strasburger—are said to be joining Winston & Strawn, according to the Am Law Daily (sub. req.), Above the Law and Law 360 (sub. req.). Weil Gotshal did not confirm the reports, based mainly on anonymous sources.

In mid-September, Sidley Austin announced that it had acquired eight partners from Weil’s Dallas office. In June, Weil laid off about 60 associates and 110 support staffers, and cut the pay of about 30 partners.

One anonymous source told Law360 that the Texas departures were driven by the firm’s insistence on maintaining premium New York rates across all offices. Above the Law also notes that the firm is trying to trim its bankruptcy and litigation practices to emphasize commercial markets. Nearly all of the Texas defections have been litigators, ATL says.